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Public commenter urges Austin to limit manager calls to city‑issued phones and add driving greetings
Summary
During general public communication, a Vision Zero founding member urged the commission to consider a city policy that restricts managers from calling staff on city‑issued phones during non‑working hours and to require outgoing greetings indicating the user is driving
During the Urban Transportation Commission’s public‑comment period on April 1, Scott Johnson — a founding member of Austin’s Vision Zero effort — urged the commission and staff to consider a city policy to reduce distracted driving by managing how issued phones are used.
Johnson said the CAMPO road‑safety planning process and local surveys identify driver behavior — including speeding, road rage, reckless and distracted driving — as the largest contributors to dangerous roads. He described April as national Distracted Driving Awareness Month and proposed the city adopt stricter rules for city‑issued phones: managers and supervisors should avoid calling employees outside business hours unless the employee is using a hands‑free setup, and issued phones should have an outgoing voicemail message that states the employee cannot pick up because they are driving.
Johnson said hands‑free use still produces cognitive distraction, and city departments should prescribe how issued phones are used to limit distraction. He invited commissioners to ask the city how such a policy could be accomplished and offered to help convene conversations with department staff.
No formal action was taken on Mr. Johnson’s request during the meeting. Chair Susan Summers thanked him and said staff and commissioners would continue the conversation.
